Igniting Cinder: A Spicy Cinderella Retelling

The Lost Girls #3

by Holly Roberds

Pumpkin spice and not playing nice – this ball just got more interesting, thanks to Prince Too-Handsy.
The plan was as clear as glass: infiltrate a high fae court’s ball, uncover the truth behind my father's death, and avoid my sadistic stepmother and stepsisters.
But now, I find myself engaged to Prince freakin' Charming, the last fae I'd ever choose for a dance partner, much less a fiancé. And I'm hardly the ideal bride for a fae prince—a human bartender who loves piercings, tattoos, and devours pumpkin-flavored anything.

Prince Charming thinks he can use me in his twisted game to overthrow his father. Little does he know, I’m not just some human he can push around.

Now, in over my head in a world of glittering gowns and deceitful smiles, I’m betrothed to the one fae who could unravel everything—including my resolve to not let him touch me.

But there's this thing about Charming—he's got a way of getting under my skin even from across the room. And it's messing with my head, making me question everything.

Our engagement is more than a dance of power; it's a game that could shatter crowns and hearts. And I'm right in the middle, balancing on the edge of a glass slipper that's cracking under the weight of secrets and forbidden desires.

Igniting Cinder is a spicy m/f fairytale retelling where a pretend engagement will heat up in a dance of ink, charm, and forbidden desires.

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Romantasy, Romance, Dark Romance, Paranormal, Vampires

454 pages, Paperback

Published August 7, 2024

About the author

Holly Roberds is an Amazon Top 40 Bestselling Author of the Vegas Immortals and Lost Girls series, known for badass heroines, gut-busting laughs, and spicy romance. Holly lives in Denver but is only outdoorsy in that she drinks on patios—with a prosecco in one hand and an espresso in the other. When not writing, she’s playing D&D, sharpening her banter skills, or sinking her teeth into her husband’s very bitable arm.

Reviews

[Thais • tata.lifepages • · Rating 5 out of 5]

NO ONE does cute nicknames like KAI!😭🖤

”my gothic goddess”
“My little tattooed treat”
“My punishing petal”
“My dark princess”
“My little black rose”
“My dark empress”
“My little black cloud of cuddles” -> My fav!

These are just A FEW of the gems this FANGED GOD drops on us 🫠

Also, I’ll never look at marshmallows the same way again 🤣🤣

ALL THE STARS for this AMAZING, FUN, QUIRKY, epic novel that reads like a romcom but make it gothic Cinderella with vampires, also the dual POV makes it HILARIOUS!

[Christina, thereadingdingo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A spicy Cinderella retelling that did not disappoint!

Cinder is a human who grew up in the fae court of Midnight, which is unheard of. Now years later, she's returned to the last place she thought she would in hopes of uncovering the truth about her father.

Kaison has been drawn to Cinder since they were children. He always believed the rumors that she never made it out of Midnight alive - but now she's back, & he won’t let her get away so easily this time.

I loved the darker aspect of this novel & how Cinder wasn’t going to take crap from anyone. She’s a survivor & no one can take that away from her. Kai surprised me with how tender he could be, & how he wasn’t going to give up on Cinder so easily - marshmallows anyone?

Tattoos & piercings matched Cinder & Kaison to a T. Plus, who can say no to a ladder 😉😉

This novel drew me in quickly from the start & I could not put it down. My new favorite in the series, & I cannot wait to see the next masterpiece that Holly creates.

[MissyB · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my least favorite in the series. I loved the other two books but I found the characters in this one hard to connect to. Also the whole prince being a man whore but especially the reference to him being intimate with a mother and daughter at the same time was just a major ick that was hard to get over. And then the whole scene with him and Tink reminiscing on being together in front of Cinder was totally unnecessary to the plot and just added more to the ick. Hopefully the next book in the series is better.

[Anna Christodoulou-Vega · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book and absolutely loved the retelling of Cinderella. The story was incredibly enjoyable, and I was particularly impressed with how the prince's character was written. Additionally, the portrayal of Cinder and her struggle with anemia was very well done. I loved the detail and spice in the book and found it super cute that her friends were there when she needed them the most. As both Cinder and the prince learn to share their secrets with one another, the story beautifully captures their journey towards trust and healing.

[❁ Ashton ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's finally here!! I have been waiting ( impatiently) for this book to come out!!I'm so happy i finally got to read Cinders' story!!. Honestly, this series keeps on giving!!.. First though, look how pretty the cover is!! 😍

This book had it all:

🖤 Dual POV
💜 Strong plot
🖤 A proposal
💜 Mystery
🖤 Magical realm
💜 Forbidden Love
🖤 Piercings and Tattoos (incl. 🍆🐱)
💜 HEA

I loved Cinder and Kai! They had banter, chemistry and heat! The Forbidden aspect played a huge part in tension. They were strong, likeable and funny! Their story was a roller-coaster of emotions. They both hid behind a facade, all is not as it seems - they had secrets, past traumas and issues to overcome. I was taken on their journey learning of their strength for survival , trust in eachother and courage for letting down their guard !

I loved the writing style- short chapters so i could squeeze more into my busy day, the pace of the story, nothing was rushed. Holly is the queen of visual, the way she would describe each scene and characters in details, she placed me right there in between the pages. I went into this book not knowing which direction the retelling would go, i was surprised but Holly did not disappoint

This is the 3rd book of the Lost Girls series. If you enjoy a fairytale retelling story with a lot of twists then this book is definitely for you!! I'm now going to have to wait for the next book in the series but can't wait to get more of our lost girls! THIS BOOK HAD ME GRIPPED!! ✨5/5✨

* Check TWs

✨Release day August 15th - SAVE the date!! & ADD to your TBR!! ✨

✨I recieved this ARC in return for an honest review. Thank you Holly Roberds for giving me the opportunity to read your book ✨

[Bea27x · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!

Igniting Cinder called to me from the beginning. I wanted to get to this one since I discovered the series and read the blurbs for the 3 books, it sounded really intriguing, then I read the first book and got more hyped because Cinder was already my favorite, and now I can say it surpassed my expectations. I loved it!

I enjoyed the stories, world and vibes from the start, but the books only got better going on, and this is the best and my favorite. There is a better developed story, plot and characters, less cringe compared to the first book, and it’s more interesting and it flows more cohesively.

Maybe a couple of moments are a bit rushed at the end compared to the well done buildup of the dangers of the situation, but it’s a small thing considering the whole of the book.

Like I said, the story is engaging and I loved the two main characters, they are great both on their own and together; and most of all I loved the romance between Cinder and Kaison, it’s amazing.

The progression of the relationship between Cinder and Kai is beautiful and real, it’s a collection of small steps to get to know each other, open up and tore down the walls they both put around themselves. They use different masks to hide behind but they both do it. And the struggles and fears Cinder has about vampires are overcome bit by bit; Kai is very sweet and patient, he does all that he can to make her comfortable, make her feel safe with him, and as a result she can’t help letting him in, letting go of the need to protect herself from everyone and can’t help falling in love. He warms her heart and she shows him all of her without walls because for the first time she feels completely safe and loved. He as well for the first time can show someone who he really is because she sees through the pretending; he finds someone who understands and is a lot like him. She sees him and wants him, the real him, and he falls in love with all the sides and thorns of her. He would do anything for her.
There is also a lot of spice that is🔥

P. S. I knew it!! I’ve been thinking from the start that the queen killed Cinder’s father! Couldn’t really say about the motive but the king being guilty of that would have been too easy while the queen makes for a good twist.

Only sorry that Cinder is gone from the Poison Apple and won’t be seen much later on. Please at least guest star!

Red, Goldie and Cinder are the originals! Can I have short stories about them just living everyday life? And about Cinder and Kai being a power couple?

[Hailey Goshert · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ goth Cinderella and a broken, blood sucking, tatted & pierced Prince Charming? Y U M !

i don’t think ill ever look at marshmallows or packing peanuts the same way💀

this was my second favorite book in this series so far, behind Tasting Red! the characters were compelling, and the story was a fascinating twist on a fairytale we all know quite well. i loved all the creative liberties that the author took to shape a familiar story into something fresh and exciting!

all the nicknames were amusing and absurd, but i tend not to take anything too seriously when i read fun/unhinged books like this. i’m really here for a good time, not a long time.

that being said, there were some really tender moments between the MCs here, and some topics that were explored with great tact- given the atmosphere and fantastical elements of the story.

i will totally continue with this series, but im irked that Snow’s book isn’t in the lineup yet! i need to know the backstory behind the silver haired beauty!!

[MaryLovesRomance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just meh. When looking back at the previous books in this series, this one falls short. Every aspect of story progression kind of felt like it came out of nowhere and I wanted so much more for this story. The previous book was so good and I expected this one to be similar.

Cinder is the third woman in the group "lost girls" who work at a bar in the human world. She has returned to the world of vampires to steal the last piece of art that reminds her of her family. However, while there, she gets caught. Kai is the vampire prince and he has thought that Cinder died many years ago. When he sees her at the ball for him, he is drawn to her, and inadvertently draws her into the plot to overthrow his father, the king.

I liked Cinder in previous books but she kind of fell flat in this story. I felt so endeared to the heroine's of the previous stories but I never quite got there with Cinder. There was just a feeling of detachment that I wasn't able to move past. I also kind of wanted more from Kai as a hero. The entire story just kind of felt like "I want to bite her. I can't bite her, I don't have her consent. But I want to so badly. Oh no, I almost bit her. I'm a bad person." It's just kind of silly. I didn't feel the romance. I wanted more.

This was an okay romance. It basically made me just want to read the previous book again because that one was so much better. I don't think that I would read this one again.

[Victoria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing

When Cinder was introduced as Asian I was excited to see what kind of fairytale/lore/mythology would be represented from that diversity. I jumped right in without reading the description because I love Red and Goldie so much... And skipped to the last few chapters to get closure on Cinder's story. Vampires is the laziest and least inspiring creature that could have been used here. Really disappointed. I'll be careful to read the description next time and won't be one clicking this author again.

[Maria Elena | pagesofmaria · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s so good to be back with The Lost Girls! This is one of my FAVORITE paranormal romance/fairytale retelling series, where each standalone book follows a different Lost Girl. Book 1 was Little Red Riding Hood, book 2 was Goldilocks, and book 3 is Cinderella like you’ve never seen her before.

What I love about this series in general is that there are nods to the fairytale that make you understand what the original tale is (something that is not as obvious as one might think, since some books are called retellings but you can hardly tell) but every time it’s a totally original, fun, surprising and very steamy story. You never know what to expect! In Igniting Cinder, Prince Charming is a vampire, with tats and piercings, and Cinder is a goth human goddess with an aversion to touch who works at the Poison Apple with her fellow Lost Girls. The two share a past, and Prince Charming proposes a fake engagement to reach his secret goals, though it really is a mutually beneficial arrangement because Cinder has objectives of her own—find her father’s painting and find out who murdered him.

The banter is, as always, impeccable, with moments that are charged with tension and others that are hilarious. One of the things I love most about this author’s style is how she can go from fun, to spicy to dark and intense within the same book. In this particular case, the grumpy x sunshine dynamic between Cinder and Kai where she is the grump and he is the sunshine was perfect. I adored seeing how Kai slowly helped Cinder open up, while she helped him see that he’s worth more than what his father believes him to be, that he doesn’t always have to wear a mask, that he’s capable. Plus I loved all the adorable nicknames Kai invented for Cinder!

I can’t wait for the next book, which will follow Belle, and then I’m also very excited for the new character that, as of now, was introduced in the bonus chapter downloadable at the end of the book!

Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.

[Kath · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75⭐️

I had high expectations for this book after reading the first two books. AND also because this is a Cinderella retelling. But I think this left me disappointed.

I'm already almost 80% finished and I'm pretty sure I'm reading a different Cinder. Or because I'm seeing her through her friend's eyes? But anyway, the chemistry is not convincing too. I mean, she hated him soooo much then suddenly they were having sex? And it's more of a bdsm kind of way, mind you. Like that's all they did for majority of the book. And although I usually don't mind that, I was expecting both characters to actually communicate. That happened near the end of the book and I'm just glad I was able to finish this. More than glad to see crumbs of Goldie and Red.

Still curious about Belle (and Rap) so hopefully their books are better.

[Dana Marquardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly Roberds, you did it again! Igniting Cinder is a paranormal dark romance with humor, spice, and everything nice. Oh, don't forget the pumpkin spice and mini marshmallows!

Cinder is one bad ass goth chick with a great fashion sense, anemia, a love of fall with pumpkin spice, and a lot of family trauma. She has learned to cope with her issues the best way she can, but the loss of her father sends her to the midnight fairy land when she is older to find a painting that the controlling Vampire King possesses. And every good retelling of Cinderella has her Prince Charming, but this one is pierced, tatted, and a Vampire prince! Oh, and his nicknames for her are too cute. Well, once he finds one that he thinks fits! Don't worry, there is totally a fairy godmother who bimpity boppity boos! There's a lot of pumpkin spice and an interesting way to use mini marshmallows to get their freak on, magic, found family, and a Happy Ever After.

[Bianca Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨️ Received an ARC ✨️

It's a retelling of Cinderella.
But it's so different from what I was expecting. I couldn't put this book down.
It's so nice to have strong, independent women as the protagonist.

Cinder and Prince Charrming had their own demons to fight and couldn't tell each other their secrets.
The beginning was a little slow, and the end was a little fast. But I loved the story.

And of course, it's spicy 😉

[Allia Reads (semi hiatus)]

Self note:

The hero is a manwhore who has basically slept with everyone, and there's a scene where he reminisces about an encounter with OW in front of FMC, which literally gives me the ick.🥴

Here’s the scene:
“Didn’t have time to jump across the pond,” I explain, clearing my throat, “so I had her come to me.”
“And I did, in fact, come,” Tinkerbelle says slyly.
The slow sweep of her lashes reminds me of the mini party we had after she finished my tattoo. We’d soaked ourselves in gin and sex for a job well done. We parted as friends.
Cinder stiffens. It’s almost imperceptible, but it happens in her shoulders and face.
My stomach inexplicably drops at her change in demeanor. Is she . . . no.
Wait, is she jealous?”

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I don't know if I should give it a chance despite his disgusting behavior and reputation, but I loved Cinder in the previous books and was excited to read her book, but I hate the manwhore trope.😤

[Chelsea Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew Cinderella could be so BADASS and Prince Charming love BDSM 😂🥵

A (kind of) enemies-to-lovers, fake engagement, he falls first, vampire(fairy)/human. SUB/DOMME, BDSM scenes.

I am so glad I was privileged enough to receive an ARC copy before general release, and I was NOT disappointed!

Cinderella isn't my favourite fairytale, but oh-my-GOD Cinder is definitely amazeballs! A tatted, pierced, goth badass who (like me!) also loves everything Pumpkin Spice?! 🎃
Her banter with Kaison was top-notch! I loved his pet names for her; they just got more ridiculous throughout the book, and I lived for it 😂 Their sexual tension was off the charts!
The 🌶 scenes were more than I expected 🥵🔥 and some scenes definitely left me squirming in my seat 🫠

They were both mirror opposites to each other in terms of the trauma they experienced and how they dealt with that into adulthood. I thought Kai was just going to be a huge kinky playboy but once you get the first scene of him with the King and you find out that he acts that way due to his father's abuse, I fell for him instantly. And I can definitely understand how his relentless flirting/nicknames chipped at Cinders walls.

I have loved all 3 of Holly's Lost Girls series, and I can't wait for the next one!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me fighting post nightshift sleepiness with everything I have. Which isn't much, I still fell asleep and missed my stop. But, you know what? As much as I usually dislike re-reading even small parts, I did not mind at all here.
Cinder is interesting to read in contrast to Red and Goldie because of how close to her chest she keeps everything. But I can't deny that I enjoyed how well she and Kai read each other because of that.
And I love how this book shows that the whole 'hurt people hurt people' is a choice. Just like kindness is.

And, once again, different but not less exceptional smutty parts completed this underground-rebel romance.

I really enjoy how each of the "OG 3" had their own action plot to pack the romance with.
Be it a crime novel for Red, a thriller for Goldie or this Rebellion Fantasy for Cinder. Each Lost Girl is her own person, with her own story to go with.

[Kaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear these books get better and better because Igniting Cinder is MY FAVORITE BOOK OF THIS SERIES YET!!
I’ve been wanting Cinder’s story since we met her in Tasting Red and for me, the wait was completely worth it. Her and Kai’s connection was instant, intense and freaking hot. They have both been through so much but these two characters slowly opening up to each other and falling in love really really warmed my heart. Their banter KILLED ME, the spicy scenes were incredible, and the way Kai just wants Cinder to stomp on him like bestie I get it 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ I do wish we got more of the plot but their connection easily made up for it. Now I need this series to never end and the next book STAT

Thank you to the author for letting me have an arc 💛💛

[Layla Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually went into this book (almost) completely blind. I read the blurb and knew it would be RIGHT up my alley, but had never read the author’s books.
This book jumped straight into a story that immediately hooked you and I love the premise of “Prince Charming” and why he’s called that.
Cinder is such a badass character that knows exactly what she wants and isn’t afraid to drag Prince Charming along to help.
The building of the trust in this relationship was so beautiful to watch and gave me hope for my future relationships.
I will be IMMEDIATELY diving into the other in the series.

I took away 1 star just because there were some things that were named in the book (i’m looking at you “Iron Maiden”) that made me cringe just a tad.

[Sheena Frady · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dark Cinderella retelling? Yes please. Faeries, vampires, shifters and more. Sign me up.

While I didn’t really care too much for Cinder’s attitude and general approach on life, I did understand it. It would be hard facing years of abuse and be able to feel any sort of way besides angry. Do I think she should have roped all faeries into the same category as her abusers? No. That being said, they did lack good qualities so I get it!

Prince Kai. Be still my heart. Loved his character. Loved the parallels between him and Cinder. Loved everything about his character start to finish.

I’ve read the first two books in this series and I truly enjoyed this one the most I think!

[JamieLea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this read! I found the plot and characters entertaining until the end. The only reason I'm not giving this a 5 stars is because I enjoyed the plot more than the spicy scenes and there were A LOT of them. The spicy scenes were good but I found myself just wanting to get to the good parts. I definitely was not expecting the ending and it makes me want to check put the other books in the series!

This was a very unique take on such a classic that is Cinderella! Plus vampires, I mean what more do you need! I also appreciated that the FMC wasn't just another white girl.

[Zoey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg so I was in such a book slump for some reason after finishing haunting Adeline BUT thankfully this pulled me out of it and if you’ve read that duology then I’m sure you understand but either way I absolutely loved this book! It was so fun and light hearted and I loved all the characters and how the story ended! It was a great quick little read and I’d definitely recommend it! Absolutely going to read her other “lost girl” books as well!

[Meesh Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel honored to be part of holly’s arc team!

I’ve loved the entire lost girls series so far, but something about Cinder resonated with me. She’s a badass who is dealing with some major PTSD and anxiety from past traumas, something I can relate to all too well.

Kai, oh sweet sarcastic cinnamon roll Kai. He is absolutely one of a kind. Definitely a bit more banter than you see with the first two MMCs, but 100% loved him.

The plot was plotting, the spice was spicing, and holy moly that ending!!!

Thank you Holly for this amazing tale. Can’t wait to see where you take our newest lost girl in book 4! 🫶🏻

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Igniting Cinder...

The Lost Girls book 3. This Cinderella on steroids. Amazing. Brilliantly written. Sexy, fun, dramatic, angst galore and a whole heap of WTF. Chemistry off the charts. Turns and twists that keep you guessing. It gives you all the feels and then some. No spoilers from me. This book definitely needs to be a movie.

[Em Oh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was... mostly fun, but also it made me cringe a little bit more than the two previous ones.

As much as I liked Kai, Cinder wasn't a compelling main character for me for most of the story. It's the kind of fake enemies to lovers that feels forced and performative - where one of them dislikes the other just for the sake of it. I get the trauma aspect etc., I do, but still.

I dunno, I felt myself dragging through it, which was a shame, because I generally tend to like vampires, and there were a lot of things to like in this book. But somehow, I found more things that I didn't like and that didn't excite me, so... here we are.

[Andrea ☾ [is inconsistently consistant] · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is both my favourite in the series and also the most high stakes? I kind of loved it. I usually don't love high angst stories unless the payback packs a punch... this one was weird but good!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️★

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good

This has been the best book in this series this far! Super spicy, well written, and entertaining.

🩸 vampires
📚 Cinderella retelling
🩸 fae
📚 enemies to l0vers
🩸 fake engagement
📚 forced proximity

[Erika Knickerbocker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow start cute ending

2.5🌟 I had a hard time getting into this one. I had to force myself to finish the book. Her powers were a bit of let down. Cute ending though. I won't be reading any more of this series.

[Adri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Kaison with his attachment to Cinder and her outward indifference towards him. They both have persona’s carefully crafted in order to protect themselves but they both equally see through the others. And of course we love a golden retriever.

[Emily P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. God.
This was so damn good.

Funny and sassy and so hot.

This series has been hitting all the marks!

[Dominique P · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the way these two go back and forth but know what they feel is so real. And the way they come out on top… top tier. Great writing and story.